Starter for engines.



V. BENDIX. STARTER FOR ENGINES. APPLiOATION FILED MAY 2, 1914.

1,125,935, Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L V. BENDIX.

STARTER FOR ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1914.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

m r w an m w m 1 e B 1,, u Wm om w R Q m 1 W M my m M 111.11 1! Ill \1 1 I111. iii 11 iflk; L 1 .,....I1 fig 1 1 r h 7% m fell stance, as an electric UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. VINCENT BENDIX, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

srnn'rnn ron ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, VINCENT BENDIX, a citizen of .the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook, county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starters for Engines, of'which the owing is a specification.

My invention relates to a starter for an engine such as a gas engine and the object thereof 'is to provide a-simple, efiicient and reliable device of this character operated by a prime mover of any kind such, for inmotor.

My starter is of that type having a screw shaft or the like operated by the prime mover either directly from the armature shaft or indirectly by gearing and having mounted thereon a driving member inthe form of a pinion adapted to engage or mesh with some member of the engine for irotating its crank shaft or the like.

The particular object ofmy invention is to improve the structure and mode of operation of a construction of this general type.

In. the drawings Figure l is a section of my starter showing a part of the electric motor in elevationand a' part of the engine member such as the ,fiy wheel in section; Fig. 2 a cross section on the line 2-2--of .Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a section of a modified form of my starter in which'the screw shaft or sleeve is driven indirectly by the prime. mover; and Fig, 4 a detail section of a modified form of/construction of the outer end of the rotatable shaft.

In the drawings I haveshown two difier- I 'ent forms of drive from the prime mover to the screw shaft or sleeve, one being a direct drive, as shown in Fig. 1, and the other an indirect drive as shown in Fig: 3. However, with this exception the construction and principle ofoperation are the same in both cases.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the prime mover 1 is here an electric motor whose armature shaft is, by preference extended to form the driving shaft 2. This shaft has a bearing at 3 in one end of the motor body or casing but by preference it has no outboard bearing at all although one might be provided at the outer end as shown in Fig. 4, which will be hereinafter desc ibed in detail. Upon the inner portion of this shaft there is mounted Specification of Letters Patent.

' movement.

This barrel forms such pinion is a sleeve 4 which is free thereon and also capable of some oscillation and longitudinal A yielding driving'connection is provided between the shaft 2 and the sleeve 4, this connection comprising a coiled spring 5 which is anchored at one end to the shaft andat' the other end to the sleeve. According to the specific construction shown a spring barrel 6 is arranged concentrically of the shaft 2 and held in place at the outer end of such shaftby means of the pin or bolt 7, which bolt also forms the means for anchoring the outer end of the spring 5. a support on which the spring may coil solidly to prevent excess coiling and consequent setting. The other end of the spring is anchored to a stud or bolt 8 screwing into the outer end ofthe sleeve 2. The shaft and the spring barrel tion 11 of the same or other suitable material for the purpose of weighting such pinion and thereby, assuring longitudinal travel thereof with respect to the sleeve when the latter is rotated. In sov far as the present invention is concerned it,is immaterial whether the pinion be weighted or not. This pinion is adapted to mesh with the teeth 12 of some rotatable member such as the fly wheel 13 of a gasolene engine.

As shown in the drawings and by preference the starter mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the motor is placed in juxtaposition to the fly wheel or similar engine member with the bearing of the shaft 2 adjacent or. in proximity thereto and the pinion 10 is normally toward the outer end of the sleeve and in the starting operation adapted to move inwardly and engage the fly wheel at or toward its inward position at which timeit is itself quite close to said bearing. This construc- Patented Jan. 26, 1915. Application filed May 2, 1914. Serial N 0. 835,970. l

- is started -whereupon' which thereby either the the 'the starter beingconstructed as above described operates as follows: When 1t is desired to start the engine the electric motor sleeve 4 are rotated with the result that the pinion 10'. will be automatically moved longitudinally of the sleeve and intomesh with the teeth of the fly wheel. As soon as meshing occurs and the lpinion is stopped in ts inward travel it wi l rotate in unison with the sleeve and will consequently rotate the fly wheel; The spring driving connection between the shaft and the sleeve prevents any shock or jar which is liable to occur in the initial starting of the fly wheel or other engine member from a state of rest, the resistance ofiered causing a winding up of the spring and a consequent storing up of enwheel. Moreover, such driving connection takes care of the varying resistances offered by the engine member due to the passing of compression points,

- not register with the teeth 12 ofthe fly any wheel when the pinion is advanced and the teeth should consequently abut at their ends sorbed by the sleeve which is adapted to yield by being movable longitudinally against the tension of the spring 5. course this contact of the teeth would tend to stop the longitudinal movement of the pinion and start a slight rotary mofement thereof sufficient to bring the teeth into register after which the pinion vanced into full mesh with the. fly wheel.

" After'the engine has started on its own power the excess speed of rotation of the fly wheel will cause the pinion to be automatically withdrawn from mesh but the pinion will not immediately travel longitudinally to its normal or inactiye position but will pausein such travel just after unmeshing and will rotate with the screw shaft of sleeve until the latter slows down somewhat, whereupon the pinion will. then move toward its normal position inasmuch as. its momentum,

will exceed that of the shaft which is of course -subjected to much drag made that such weight hollow shaft, be made broadly as a screwthe shaft 2 and the shock due to this resistance will be abwill be adaaaeaae This paus ing of the pinion is due to a ding action between the shaft and pinion'caused by centrifugal force of the weight andthe' fact is not centered on the shaft but located at one end, thereby causing a binding on the shaft; By this action a too-. rapid travel and forcible return of the pinion are prevented, inasmuch as the final return of the pinion takes place after the momentum has been considerably decreased during said pause in'its longitudinal travel.

In Fig. 3 the parts are substantially the same except for those changes necessitated by the provision of an indirect drive from theelectric motor as distinguished from the direct drive shown in Fig. 1. The. parts havin the same construction are similarly numbzred in Fig. 3. In this modification the motor has a short armature shaft 14 to- It is obvious that the rotation of the armaergy therein which increases the power or Qture shaft 14 will rotate the shaft 17 through energy applicable to the starting of the fly the medium of the pinion 15. and gear 16 whereupon the operation already described in reference to the other construction will resu t.

As above stated pense with any outboard bearin shafts 2 and 17 but if desire it is preferred to disfor the such a bearing 22 as'shownin Fig. 4 may be provided. lhis bearing engages the extreme outer end of. the shaft 17 as formed in any suitable supporting bracket or casing 23.

Iclaim: Y

1. A starter for engines comprising in combination with a motor-driven sha t, a screw-threaded sleeve mounted thereon and adapted to bedriven' thereby, and a driving member which is screw-threaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated, said shaft-and sleeve having driving connections between them. I

2. A starter for engines comprising in combination with a motor having an extended driving shaft, a screw-threaded sleeve mounted on the shaft and adapted to be, driven thereby, and a driving member which is screw-threaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated, said shaft and sleeve having driving connections between them.

3. A starter for engines comprisingt in combination with a motor-driven sha a screw-threaded sleeve mounted thereon, a

20 and its cover plate 21 respectively.

Qrotatabl'e shaft having nal movement, and a driving member whlch is mounted thereon for both longitudinal movement thereof; and rotary movement therewith.

5. A starter for engines comprising in combination with a motor-driven screwthreaded shaft having nal movement, and a driving member-which is screw-threaded upon said shaft and,

adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft is rotated.

6. A starter for engines comprisin combination with a motor-driven sha t, a screw-threaded sleevemounted thereon and having a thereof, and a drivingmembervwhich is screw-threaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated, said shaft and sleeves having driving connections between them.

7. A starter for engines comprisingin combination with a motor-driven sha a screw-threadedsleeve mounted thereon, a yielding driving connection between the shaft and sleeve, comprising a spring connected respectively and a driving member which is screwthreaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated.

8. A starter for engines comprising 'in combination with a motor-driven shaft, a screw-threaded sleeve mounted thereon, a yielding driving connection between the shaft and sleeve comprising a coiled spring which is concentric of .the shaft axis and which has one endanchored to the shaft and the other 'to the sleeve,

which is screw-threaded upon said sleeve andadapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated.

9. A starter for engines comprising in combination with a motor-driven shaft, a screw-threaded sleaze, mounted thereon, a yielding driving connection between the shaft and sleeve comprising a coiled spring which is concentric of the shaft axis and which has one end anchored to the-shaft and the other to the sleeve, a barrelwhich is secured to the shaft and on which the spring coils, and a driving member which is screwthreaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated.

v 10. A starter for engines comprisin in combination with a motor-driven sha t, a

screw-threaded sleeve"mounted thereon, a...

andits sleeve are rotated.

a yielding longitudi-' yielding movement longitudinally longitudinal movement thereof to the shaft and sleeve, 1 normally combination with a driving member combination with yielding driving connection between the shaft and sleeve comprising a coiled spring which is concentric of the shaft axis an A which has one end anchored to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, a driving member which is screw-threaded upon said sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated, said sleeve havinga loose fit upon the shaft and capable of a slight longitudinal movementthereon against the tension of the spring.

11. A- starter for engines comprisin in combination with a motor-driven sha a screw-threaded sleeve mounted thereon and screw-threaded sleeve mounted .thereon, a.

spring connected respectively to the shaft and sleeve, and

upon the sleeve and adapted to travel longitndinally thereon.

13. A starter for'engines comprising in combination with a' rotatable shaft supported at its inner end, and a dri ber which ismounted on the shaft for both and rotary movement therewith, said member bein toward the outer end of the shaft Inema pinion screw-threaded 90 but movable inwardly when the shaft is ro- 0 tated.A 14. starter for engines comprisin i g a motor driven shai t, a screw-threaded sleeve mounted thereon, a yielding driving shaft and sleeve comprising a coiled spfing which is concentric of the shaft axis and which has one end anchored to the shaft and the other to the sleeve,

a barrel-which is connection between the secured to the shaft and on which the spring 1 coils, and a driving member which is screwthreadednpon sald sleeve and adapted to travel longitudinallythereon when the shaft and its sleeve are rotated,-said barrel and sleeve being in alinement but separated a slight distance to permit the sleeve to move longitudinally on the shaft against the ten.- sion of the spring.

15. A starter for engines comprising in combination with and a dI'lVHig member which is screwthreaded uponsaid shaft and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon when the shaft mally toward the outer end of the shaft but movable inwardly to the supported end thereof.

16. A starter for engines comprising m a motor-driven screwthreaded shaft supported atits innerend,

, is rotated, said driving member being nora motor-driven shaft supported atits inner end, a screw-ended sleeve mounted thereon, and a dri memher which is screw-threaded u, on the sleeve and adapted to travel longitu ally thereon into enga ement with said driven member when the sdeeve is rotatedysaid driving memher being normally toward the outer end of the sleeve bu't movable inwardly to the opposite end and adjacent the supported port on of said shaft. a I y 17. A starterj'for engines comprising in combination with a' rotatable driving shaft,

a sleeve mounted thereon and adapted to be driven thereby, and an engine driving memmer tjthereeicl and rotary movement thereasse ses 1 with, said shaft and sleeve havinga connection tween them. 19. A starter for engines comprig in comblnatlon with a rotatable driving shaft a sleeve mounted thereon and adapted to be driven thereby, and an engine driving m= her which is v mounted upon the sleeve for both longitudinal movement thereof and ro- 'tary, movement therewith, said shaft and sleeve having a yielding driving connection between them,

20. A starter for engines comprising in combination with a rotatable driving shaft, a sleeve mounted thereon and driven thereby, said sleeve having a rotary and a 1- I tudinal movement relative thereto, and an engine driving member which is mounted uponthe sleeve forboth longitudinal move 'ment thereof and rotary movement therewith,' said shaft and sleeve having a driving connection between them.

VINCENT BENDKX.

Witnesses:

' Erlmron 0m, 1 Louis B. ERWIN. 

